A&DLife in conjunction with the University of Michigan School of Art & Design would like to announce a call for submissions to its upcoming exhibition of contemporary art,ENDLESS FORMS: ENGAGING EVOLUTION. www.endlessforms.net

Now more than ever, the concepts, practices, and influences of evolutionary biology spotlight the asetheticised experiences of contemporary life and culture. The aim of this show is to explore the diversity of forms that communicate, comment on, and engage the science of evolutionary biology and mechanisms of evolutionary change.

A&DLife presents this exhibition during the Exploring Evolution theme semester at the University of Michigan. From February 24th to March 24th, 2006, the WORK exhibition space in bustling Ann Arbor, Michigan will be transformed to engage evolution and its endless forms.

The theme of the show will revolve around the five commonly observed forces or mechanisms of organic biological evolution. Works should focus on one or more of the following:NATURAL SELECTIONThe processes of nature by which the presence of heritable genetic variation in traits leads to differential reproduction. Advantageous traits that influence survival and reproduction are transferred from the parents to the offspring and result in a disproportionate representation of traits in the next generation. But don’t forget the environment! What’s good today may be gone tomorrow!

SEXUAL SELECTION Because traits involved in sexual displays for attracting mates are often visually compelling, no exploration of contemporary art and evolutionary biology would be complete without including mechanisms of sexual selection. Sexual selection is driven by competition for mates and is often characterized by its elaborate displays.

MUTATION Changes in the DNA sequence within a gene or chromosome of an organism possibly resulting in the creation of a new trait not found in the parental type.

MIGRATION The act or an instance of migrating that leads to changes in the gene frequencies within populations (Also referred to as gene flow).

GENETIC DRIFT Random fluctuations in the frequency of a gene in a small population, presumably owing to chance rather than natural selection and often results in a reduction of genetic variation.

We seek works that build upon the confluence of contemporary art and design along with biological evolution as object and/or as process.We have a particular interest in works that examine the history and philosophy of evolutionary biology, competing ideas or hypotheses that have contributed to our current understanding of evolution, the role of sex and recombination in shaping genetic diversity, and the burgeoning emphasis we place on organismal development in our conceptions of genetic evolution.

All submissions should be in the form of a url where images of works and media are displayed.

Submissions should include 2-3 images for each work or a link to online video if time-based work is to be considered. The category or categories that the work falls into should be specified along with its dimensions, and medium(s). Each entry should also include contact information for the artist.

Consideration for inclusion in this special exhibition, associated venues, its companion web exhibition, and accompanying catalogue will be given to all work submitted before the deadlines. Shipping arrangements will be made by contacting the artists upon acceptance.

Open call submissions due: November 21th, 2005.

University of Michigan School of Art & Design communitysubmissions due: Janurary 20th, 2006

The Leonardo Educators Forum (LEF) would like to extend a special invitation for students to participate in its mentorship initiative during the College Art Association Annual Conference in Boston, MA, February 2006. Students are invited to participate in person by presenting a brief statement with the goal of sparking discussion during the second annual Mentorship Roundtable. The Leonardo Educators Forum encourages statements about student priorities for scholarship in the art/sci/technology field, the benefits that mentorship opportunities could provide, and similar professional development concerns. Interested students should contact LEF Graduate Student Chair Gabriel Harp at .

The Leonardo Education Forum is currently gearing up for the CAA Conference in Boston, MA, February 2006. Panels will include New Media Futures: The Artist as Researcher and Research as Art in the 21st Century, chaired by Timothy Allen Jackson; the second annual Mentorship Roundtable, chaired by Andrea Polli and the Leonardo Town Hall Meeting.

One of the main functions of the College Art Association is to foster professional and career development, while the Leonardo Educators and Students program fosters scholarship in the field of art/science/technology.

These organizations are working together to provide mentoring to the next generation of artists, scholars, and researchers working at the intersections of art, science, and technology. The goal of the LEF mentoring group is to provide opportunities and resources for students and emerging professionals. Current activities include a mentorship panel at the CAA annual meeting and ongoing mentorship resources.

This is not a gene is a web-based project designed to encourage the redefinition and creative expression of gene concepts. Forget what you may or may not know about the double-helix for a second. What do you think a gene is, looks like, can do, or says?

Does it respond to touch? What does it sound like? Is there a story behind it?

All forms of creative expression are encouraged- from image to video to sound to text...The goal of "This is not a gene" is to promote creativity in the biological and cultural naming and characterization of the basic units of biological inheritance. It is a collaborative endeavor and a community forum. What do your genes express?